Cut food denester

ABSTRACT

A system for separating cut food products includes a flow inlet, a flow outlet, and at least one drum connecting the flow inlet and the flow outlet. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut food product tangentially into the at least one drum. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut food product into the at least one drum at a right angle to a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum. The at least one drum may be a plurality of drums including a first drum having the flow inlet and a second drum having the flow outlet. The system may include a passageway providing fluid communication from the first drum to the second drum. The passageway may include a tapered section. The flow inlet may be aligned with the flow outlet.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/016,421 filed Jun. 22, 2018 and U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 62/527,737, filed on Jun. 30, 2017 and entitled “Cut FoodDenester,” the contents of which are each incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The embodiments described herein relate generally to a system forseparating food products. In particular, the disclosure relates to adenester for cut food products.

BACKGROUND

Generally, fries and other sliced food products are cut by use of awater knife and subsequently processed by blanching, drying, battering,frying, and/or freezing. In many fry products, such as straight-cutfries, the fries easily separate. However, with the development of moreunique fry shapes, the food product may retain its shape after cuttingand require manual manipulation to separate the fries from each other.The need for manual separation can substantially increase manufacturingcosts and/or reduce throughput of a cutting system. Other disadvantagesmay exist.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for separatingcut food products that overcomes and/or mitigates some of the problemsand disadvantages discussed above.

An embodiment of a system for separating a cut food product into aplurality of food product pieces includes a flow inlet, a flow outlet,and at least one drum connecting the flow inlet and the flow outlet. Thecut food product has a plurality of nested food product pieces. The flowinlet is positionable to receive a cut food product to be separated. Theflow inlet may receive a fluid, such as water, from a water knife. Theflow inlet and the flow outlet may be positioned to create a cyclonicflow path through the at least one drum. The flow inlet may be alignedwith a discharge of a knife block or a water knife. The flow inlet maybe oriented to direct the cut food product tangentially into the atleast one drum. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut foodproduct into the at least one drum at a right angle to a longitudinalaxis of the at least one drum. The flow inlet may be positioned on a topportion of the at least one drum. The at least one drum may be aplurality of drums including a first drum and a second drum. The flowinlet may be positioned on a top portion of the first drum. The flowinlet may be positioned on the first drum and the flow outlet may bepositioned on the second drum. The cyclonic flow path may be configuredto separate the plurality of nested food product pieces into a pluralityof food product pieces, substantially each of which are individuallyseparated from one another.

The system may include a passageway providing fluid communication fromthe first drum to the second drum. The passageway may include a firstend connected to the first drum and a second end connected to the seconddrum. The passageway may include a tapered section between the first endand the second end that narrows toward the second end. The flow inletmay be aligned with the flow outlet. The first drum may have an innerdiameter of approximately twelve inches. The first drum may have alength of approximately twenty-four inches. The first drum may include afirst drain valve. The second drum may include a second drain valve. Thesystem may include a bypass flow path having a bypass inlet and a bypassoutlet. The system may be pivotable between a first position and asecond position. The flow inlet may be aligned with the discharge (aninlet axis) in the first position and the bypass inlet may be alignedwith the inlet axis in the second position. The at least one drum mayhave a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to gravitational forces.

An embodiment of a method for separating a cut food product into aplurality of food product pieces includes directing a flow of fluidalong a fluid flow path of a denester. The denester includes at leastone drum. The flow of fluid is directed tangentially into the at leastone drum. The flow of fluid may be from a water knife. The methodincludes rotating the cut food product along a length of the at leastone drum, wherein the cut food product is separated into a plurality offood product pieces, and removing the plurality of food product piecesfrom the at least one drum through a flow outlet. Substantially each ofthe plurality of food product pieces that are nested within each otherare individually separated from one another.

The method may include directing the cut food product along the fluidflow path tangentially into the at least one drum at a right angle to alongitudinal axis of the at least one drum. The method may includeremoving the plurality of food product pieces from the drum through atangentially oriented flow outlet.

The at least one drum may include a first drum and a second drum. Therotating the cut food product along a length of the at least one drummay include rotating the cut food product along a length of the firstdrum, passing the cut food product into the second drum, and rotatingthe cut food product along a length of the second drum. The passing thecut food product into the second drum may include passing the cut foodproduct along a passageway from the first drum to the second drum. Thepassageway may be tapered and increase a velocity of the cut foodproduct as it is passed into the second drum. The cut food product maybe a potato. The potato may be cut into a plurality of helical wedges.The method may include cutting the potato into the plurality of helicalwedges before the flow of fluid carrying the potato is directedtangentially into the at least one drum. The rotating the cut foodproduct along the length of the at least one drum may comprise causing aportion of the flow of fluid closest to an interior wall of the at leastone drum to move at a faster rate than a portion of the flow of fluid ina center of the at least one drum.

The denester may include a bypass flow path. The method may includemoving the denester, wherein the movement of the denester orients thebypass flow path in place of the fluid flow path. The denester mayinclude a flow inlet oriented along a first axis. The bypass flow pathmay include a bypass inlet oriented along a second axis. The second axismay be parallel to the first axis. The moving the denester may comprisepivoting the denester between a bypass position and an engaged position.The flow inlet is in communication with a discharge of a knife block ora water knife in the engaged position. The bypass inlet is incommunication with the discharge in the bypass position.

An embodiment of a system for separating a cut food product into aplurality of food product pieces, includes a plurality of drums, a flowinlet, a flow outlet, and a flow path. The cut food product has aplurality of nested food product pieces. The plurality of drums includesa first drum and a second drum. The flow inlet is positioned on thefirst drum. The flow inlet is configured to be placed into fluidcommunication with a discharge of a knife block or a water knife. Theflow outlet is positioned on the second drum. The flow path extends fromthe flow inlet to the flow outlet through the plurality of drums. Theflow path is configured to impart turbulence and centripetalacceleration to a cut food product received through the flow inlet. Theflow path may be configured to separate the plurality of nested foodproduct pieces into a plurality of food product pieces, substantiallyeach of which are individually separated from one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-3 show an embodiment of a denester positioned adjacent to awater knife.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show an embodiment of a denester positioned adjacent to awater knife.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of a denester.

FIGS. 7A and 8A show the embodiment of FIG. 6 in a bypass position.

FIGS. 7B and 8B show the embodiment of FIG. 6 in an engaged position.

FIG. 9A shows a detailed view of a pivot connection of the embodiment ofFIG. 6 .

FIG. 9B shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 9A.

FIGS. 10A-10D show sequential views of a cut food product separatinginto a plurality of food product pieces.

While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way ofexample in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However,it should be understood that the disclosure is not intended to belimited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the intention is tocover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within thescope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-3 show an embodiment of a denester 100 for separating cut foodproducts. The denester 100 is positioned to receive cut food productsfrom a discharge 11 of a water knife 10. A knife block, or other cuttingdevice, may be used in place of the water knife 10. A supplemental fluidstream may also be used in some embodiments. Although the water knife 10and discharge 11 have been show adjacent to the denester 100, it isappreciated that a longer flow path of discharge 11 may be used toredirect the cut food product to the denester 100 and the denester 100is located later in a processing line than the cutting device. Forexample, the discharge 11 may include a portion that temporarily holdscut food products to be separated and/or the discharge 11 may receivecut food products from multiple cutting devices. By way of example, thewater knife 10 may be a knife fixture such as described in U.S. Pat. No.9,089,987, which issued on Jul. 28, 2015 and titled “Rotary KnifeFixture For Cutting Spiral, Textured Potato Pieces,” or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/868,987, which published on Jan. 21, 2016 asU.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2016/0016326 and titled “System For Cutting SpiralShaped Pieces,” or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/937,271, whichpublished as on Mar. 16, 2017 as U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2017/0072581 andtitled “Flow-Propelled Rotary Knife” the disclosures of which areincorporated by reference in their entireties. As may be appreciated bythese disclosures, food products, such as potatoes are cut into helicalwedge shapes. The helical wedge shapes are intertwined around oneanother (nested within each other) and may exit the water knife with theappearance of a full potato. In other words, a cut food product comprisea plurality of food product pieces nested within each other. Althoughthe embodiments described herein may make reference to the helical wedgeshapes, it is appreciated that this disclosure may also be applicable tothe separation of other types of unique cuts that would otherwise usemanual labor to separate. By way of example, cut food shapes that maybenefit from this disclosure include, but are not limited to, thoseshown and described in U.S. Design Patent Nos. D640036, D716517,D716518, D716519, D716520, D723241, D723242, D723243, D766542, andRegistered Community Design Nos. 003135722-0001, 003154293-0001, and003164102-0001.

In contrast to known systems, which tend to minimize turbulence at thedischarge 11 of a water knife 10 to prevent product damage, the denester100 is configured to impart friction, directed turbulence, andcentripetal acceleration to the cut food products in order to separatethe individual pieces of the food products. The denester 100 may includeno moving parts and use only the flow of a fluid, such as water,carrying the food products through the water knife 10. The denester 100includes one or more drums, such as a plurality of drums to impartturbulence and centripetal acceleration to the cut food products inorder to separate the nested food products. As shown in FIG. 1 , thedenester 100 includes a plurality of drums including a first drum 110and a second drum 140 with a passageway 130 therebetween. The first drum110 and the second drum 140 may have a substantially cylindrical shape.As used herein, the term “substantially” means at least almost entirely.For instance, substantially each of the previously nested food productpieces may be individually separated from one another when at least oneof the food product pieces is not nested with one or more of the otherfood product pieces. In quantitative terms, “substantially” means atleast 80% of a stated reference (e.g., quantity or shape). Furthermore,an object is cylindrical if it appears as such to an ordinary user,recognizing that, for example, manufacturing processes may createtolerances in the shape or design and the object may include surfacefeatures or mechanisms for which the surface is not perfectly smooth orsymmetrical. In some embodiments, one or both of the drums 110, 140 maybe another shaped chamber. For example, one or both of the drums 110,140 may form a conical frustum or a hexagonal prism. The first drum 110includes a flow inlet 101 that receives water and the food products fromthe water knife 10 via discharge 11. The flow inlet 101 is configured tobe placed into fluid communication with the discharge 11 of a waterknife 10. The flow inlet 101 may be oriented to direct the flow in adirection tangential to the interior diameter of the first drum 110(best shown in FIG. 3 ). The flow inlet 101 may also be orientedapproximately at a right angle to a longitudinal axis 115 of the firstdrum 110 (best shown in FIG. 2 ). As used herein, the term approximatelymeans close in value, but not necessarily precise, such as +/−10%.

The first drum 110 includes a first end 111 and a second end 112. Thefirst end 111 and the second end 112 may each be a flanged end, asshown. The longitudinal axis 115 extends from the first end 111 to thesecond end 112 of the first drum. A first end cap 113 may be affixed tothe first end 111 and a second end cap 114 may be affixed to the secondend 112. One or more of the end caps 113, 114 may be made of asubstantially transparent material, such as a polycarbonate or glass,that enables monitoring of the interior volume of the first drum 110.The end caps 113,114 may include a gasket or seal to provide awater-tight connection. The first drum 110 may be supported upon a frame12 of the water knife 10 via a support 120.

The second drum 140 includes a first end 141 and a second end 142. Thefirst end 141 and the second end 142 may each be a flanged end, asshown. A first end cap 143 may be affixed to the first end 141 and asecond end cap 144 may be affixed to the second end 142. One or more ofthe end caps 143, 144 may be made of a substantially transparentmaterial, such as a polycarbonate or glass, that enables monitoring ofthe interior volume of the second drum 140. The end caps 143,144 mayinclude a gasket or seal to provide a water-tight connection. The seconddrum 140 may be supported upon a support arm 150. The second drum 140includes a flow outlet 102 that discharges water and separated foodproduct pieces from the second drum 140. The flow outlet 102 may beoriented tangentially to the interior diameter of the second drum 140 toavoid damaged to the food product pieces (best shown in FIG. 3 ). Insome embodiments, the flow inlet 101 of the first drum 110 and the flowoutlet 102 of the second drum 140 may be aligned along the same axis 103(shown in FIG. 2 ). It may be desirable for the flow inlet 101 and theflow outlet 102 to be aligned along the same axis 103 to decrease thelength of a processing line and/or to more readily install the denester100 within an existing processing line.

The denester 100 includes a passageway 130 connecting the first drum 110to the second drum 140. The passageway 130 may extend from the secondend 112 of the first drum 110 to the first end 141 of the second drum140. As shown, the passageway 130 may include a first end 131 that isoriented at a right angle to the longitudinal axis 115 of the first drum110 (best shown in FIG. 2 ) and/or tangentially to the interior diameterof the first drum 110 (best shown in FIG. 3 ). A second end 132 of thepassageway 130 (shown in FIG. 2 ) may be oriented at a right angle to alongitudinal axis 145 of the second drum 140 (best shown in FIG. 2 )and/or tangentially to the interior diameter of the second drum 140(best shown in FIG. 3 ). The longitudinal axis 145 extends from thefirst end 141 to the second end 142 of the first drum 110. Thepassageway 130 may include a flanged portion 133 (shown in FIG. 2 ) tofacilitate assembly of the first end 131 to the second end 132. Thepassageway 130 may include a tapered section 135 that extends toward thesecond end 132 such that water flowing through the passageway 130 mustpass through a smaller cross-sectional area and a velocity of the flowis increased. The increased flow velocity increases the centripetalacceleration experienced by the cut food product within the second drum140. The increased centripetal acceleration may assist with separatingthe cut food product into distinct food product pieces.

With reference to FIG. 1 , a food product, such as a potato, is cut bythe water knife 10 and continues in a fluid flow path through thedischarge 11 and into the flow inlet 101 of the first drum 110. The flowwithin the first drum 110 creates a cyclonic flow path from the firstend 111 to the second end 112 of the first drum 110. Referring to FIG. 3, with the flow inlet 101 positioned tangentially to the bottom side ofthe interior diameter of the first drum 110, the flow operates in acounterclockwise direction as it moves from the first end 111 to thesecond end 112 of the first drum 110. Depending upon the volume flowrate of the water, the first drum 110 may be substantially filled withwater and the tangential orientation of the flow may cause the portionof the flow closest to the interior walls to move at a faster rate thana portion of the flow in a center of the first drum 110. As a result,the cut potato may tumble as it rotates through the cyclonic flow path.

Once the potato reaches the second end 112 of the first drum 110, it isreceived into the first end 131 of the passageway 130. The first end 131of the passageway 130 may have a greater diameter than the second end132 of the passageway 130. The greater diameter may assist withorienting the potato into the passageway 130 and inhibit a blockage fromforming. As the potato travels through the passageway 130, the taperedsection 135 of the passageway 130 increases the velocity of the flow asthe potato enters the second drum 140.

The flow within the second drum 140 creates a cyclonic flow path fromthe first end 141 to the second end 142 of the second drum 140.Referring to FIG. 3 , with second end 132 of the passageway 130 ispositioned tangentially to the bottom side of the interior diameter ofthe second drum 140, the flow operates in a counterclockwise directionas it moves from the first end 141 to the second end 142 of the seconddrum 140. As with the first drum 110, depending upon the volume flowrate of the water, the second drum 140 may be substantially filled withwater and the tangential orientation of the flow may cause the portionof the flow closest to the interior walls to move at a faster rate. As aresult, the cut potato may tumble as it rotates through the cyclonicflow path. Once the potato reaches the second end 142 of the second drum140, the separated potato pieces are discharged through the flow outlet102 for further processing.

By way of example, a flow rate of 650 gallons per minute (GPM) wasdetermined to be more effective at separating product than a flow rateof 450 GPM. In addition, a drum having an interior diameter of 12 incheswas determined to have better performance than a drum having an annularflow space between a 12 inches drum installed within a drum having aninterior diameter of 18 inches, which was determined to have betterperformance than a drum having an interior diameter of 18 inches. Theuse of two drums having an interior diameter of 12 inches and a lengthof 24 inches with a flow rate of 650 GPM was found to have a separationrate of more than 99%. Also by way of example, the flow inlet 101 mayhave an inner diameter of approximately 4 inches, the first end 131 ofthe passageway 130 may have an inner diameter of approximately 6 inches,the second end 132 of the passageway 130 may have an inner diameter ofapproximately 4 inches, and/or the flow outlet 102 may have an innerdiameter of approximately 6 inches.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show an embodiment of a denester 200 positioned to receivewater and cut food products from a water knife 10. The denester 200includes a first drum 210 and a second drum 240 with a passageway 230therebetween. The first drum 210 includes a first end 211 and a secondend 212. A transparent end cap 214 is affixed to the second end 212. Thefirst drum 210 is supported upon a frame 12 of the water knife 10 via asupport (not shown). The second drum 240 includes a first end 241 and asecond end 242. A transparent end cap 243 is affixed to the first end241. The second drum 240 is supported upon a support arm 250. The seconddrum 240 includes a flow outlet 202 that discharges water and separatedfood product pieces from the second drum 240. The flow outlet from thewater knife 10 and the flow outlet 202 of the second drum 240 arealigned along the same axis.

The denester 200 includes a passageway 230 extending from the second end212 of the first drum 210 to the first end 241 of the second drum 240.The passageway 230 includes a first end 231 that is orientedtangentially to the interior diameter of the first drum 210. A secondend 232 of the passageway 230 is oriented tangentially to the interiordiameter of the second drum 240. The first end 231 and the second end232 of the passageway 230 are connected via a flanged connector 233. Thepassageway 230 includes a tapered section 235 that extends toward thesecond end 232 such that water flowing through the passageway 230 mustpass through a smaller cross-sectional area and the velocity of the flowis increased. The larger diameter of the first end 231 of the passageway230 inhibits a blockage from forming when unseparated portions of a foodproduct are received sideways into the passageway 230. The increasedflow velocity increases the centripetal acceleration experienced by thecut food product within the second drum 240.

As shown in FIG. 4 , a potato 50 was cut by the water knife 10 andcarried along a cyclonic flow path from the first end 211 to the secondend 212 of the first drum 210. The potato 50 has been separated into aplurality of pieces and is about to complete a clockwise rotation(viewed from the second end 212 of the first drum 210) and be receivedinto the passageway 230. The potato 50 has fully separated by movementalong the cyclonic flow path within the first drum 210. In FIG. 5 , thepieces of the potato 50 have entered the second drum 240 and are movingtoward the flow outlet 202. A second potato 51 was cut by the waterknife 10 and carried along a cyclonic flow path from the first end 211to the second end 212 of the first drum 210. A portion of the secondpotato 51 has been separated by movement along the cyclonic flow pathwithin the first drum 210, but another portion of the second potato 51remains intertwined. The second potato 51 will continue its clockwiserotation (viewed from the second end 212 of the first drum 210) and bereceived into the passageway 230 and further movement along the cyclonicflow path within the second drum 240 will further separate theintertwined portion of the second potato 51.

FIGS. 10A-10D show sequential views of a cut food product, such as apotato 50, separating into a plurality of food product pieces as ittravels through the cyclonic flow path of the denester 200. In FIG. 10A,the potato 50 has been cut into a plurality of food product pieces whichare intertwined around one another and ready to be introduced into thedenester 200. In FIG. 10B, some of the food product pieces have startedto unwind from other food product pieces by rotation relative to theother food product pieces as the potato 50 travels through the cyclonicflow path. In FIG. 10C, the potato 50 has traveled further through thecyclonic flow path and further unwound into multiple subsets of foodproduct pieces, but some food product pieces remain intertwined withother food product pieces. In FIG. 10D, after further travel through thecyclonic flow path, the plurality of food product pieces of the potato50 have completely unwound from each other.

FIGS. 6-8B show an embodiment of a denester 300 positioned to receivewater and cut food products from a water knife 10. The denester 300includes a first drum 310 and a second drum 340 with a passageway 330therebetween. The first drum 310 includes a first end 311, a second end312, and a flow inlet 301 that receives water and the food products fromthe water knife 10 via a discharge 11 (best shown in FIGS. 7A-7B). Thesecond drum 340 includes a first end 341, a second end 342, and a flowoutlet 302 that discharges water and separated food product pieces fromthe second drum 340 into an ancillary flow path 20. The discharge 11 ofthe water knife 10 and the flow outlet 302 of the second drum 340 may bealigned along the same axis 303.

The denester 300 includes a passageway 330 extending from the second end312 of the first drum 310 to the first end 341 of the second drum 340. Aportion of the passageway 330 near the first drum 310 is orientedtangentially to the interior diameter of the first drum 310. A portionof the passageway 330 near the second drum 340 is oriented tangentiallyto the interior diameter of the second drum 340. The passageway 330 istapered toward the second drum 340 such that water flowing through thepassageway 330 must pass through a smaller cross-sectional area and thevelocity of the flow is increased. The increased flow velocity increasesthe centripetal acceleration experienced by the cut food product withinthe second drum 340. The flow inlet 301, flow outlet 302, first drum310, second drum 340, and passageway 330 form a denester fluid flowpath.

The denester 300 includes a first drain valve 315 in fluid communicationwith the first drum 310 and a second drain valve 345 in fluidcommunication with the second drum 340. When the denester 300 is not inoperation, the first drain valve 315 may be opened to drain any waterfrom within the first drum 310 and the second drain valve 345 may beopened to drain any water from the second drum 340.

The denester 300 includes a bypass flow path 305 having a bypass inlet306 and a bypass outlet 307. The bypass inlet 306 and bypass outlet 307may be aligned along the same axis 308. The axis 308 associated with thebypass flow path 305 and the axis 303 associated with the flow inlet 301and flow outlet 302 may be parallel axes. In some embodiments, thebypass inlet 306 and bypass outlet 307 may not be aligned along the sameaxis 308, but the bypass inlet 306 and the flow inlet 301 may berelatively positioned in the same manner as the bypass outlet 307 andflow outlet 302. In pivoting embodiments, the flow inlet 301 and thebypass inlet 306 may be equidistantly located from the pivot pointwithin their plane of movement. Also, the flow outlet 302 and bypassoutlet 307 may be equidistantly located from the pivot point withintheir plane of movement. The denester 300 is supported upon a frame 350with a pivot connection 320. The pivot connection 320 enables the firstdrum 310 and the second drum 340 to be pivoted between a bypass position(shown in FIGS. 7A and 8A) and an engaged position (shown in FIGS. 7Band 8B). An embodiment of a pivot connection 320 is shown in FIGS. 9Aand 9B. The pivot connection 320 includes a plate 321 fixedly connectedto the frame 350. The second drum 340 is supported upon a bearing 322,such as an Acetal bearing, that enables rotational motion of the seconddrum 340 with respect to the plate 321. The plate 321 may include arecess 323 bounded by a first side 324 and a second side 325. Thedenester 300 may include a stop pin 326 that extends from the seconddrum 340 or a frame portion into the recess 323. Although FIGS. 9A and9B show only the pivot connection 320 with respect to the second drum340, it is appreciated that first drum 310 may be pivotally connected ina similar manner.

In operation, the denester 300 might be pivoted between its bypassposition and its engaged position. In the bypass position shown in FIGS.7A and 8B, the discharge 11 of the water knife 10 is in communicationwith the bypass inlet 306 of the bypass flow path 305 and the bypassoutlet 307 of the bypass flow path 305 is in communication with theancillary flow path 20. A food product, such as a potato, is cut by thewater knife 10 and continues through the discharge 11, into the bypassinlet 306 and then through the bypass outlet 307 of the bypass flow path305, and into the ancillary flow path 20 for further processing. In thebypass position, the stop pin 326 is positioned against the first side324 of the plate 321 (shown in FIG. 9 ) to prevent further rotation. Inthis configuration, a first set of food products, such as straight-cutfries may bypass the first drum 310 and the second drum 340 of thedenester 300. By way of example, the bypass position may be desirablefor cuts where it is desirable to minimize turbulence in order toprevent damage to the food products.

Once the first set of food products has been cut, a cutting head withinthe water knife 10 may be changed to cut and separate a second set offood products, such as twisted wedges. The denester 300 is pivoted toits engaged position (shown in FIGS. 7B and 8B). In the engagedposition, the flow inlet 301 of the first drum 310 is aligned and incommunication with the discharge 11 of the water knife 10 and the flowoutlet 302 of the second drum 340 is aligned and in communication withthe ancillary flow path 20. In the engaged position, the stop pin 326(shown in FIG. 9B) is positioned adjacent to the second side 325 of theplate 321. In this position, the second set of food products can travelthrough the first drum 310 and the second drum 340 to be separated. Oncecutting has been complete, the drain valves 315 and 345 may be operatedin order to remove water within the first drum 310 and the second drum340. Such drain valves 315 and 345 may be particularly desirable whenthe flow inlet 301 and/or the flow outlet 302 are positioned on a topportion of the first drum 310 and the second drum 340 as shown. Inaddition, the denester 300 may be pivoted to the bypass position toassist with draining the first drum 310 and the second drum 340. It isanticipated that in some embodiments, the orientation of the first drum310 and the second drum 340 in the bypass position and the engagedposition may be reversed. For example, the first drum 310 and the seconddrum 340 may have a horizontal orientation in the bypass position andhave an angled orientation in the engaged position. In addition, in someembodiments, at least one of the drums 310, 340 could operate in avertical orientation or angled orientation and the flow of the waterwould oppose gravity.

A variety of modification and combinations of these embodiments will beunderstood by those skilled in the art having the benefit of thisdisclosure. For example, the first drum and the second drum could becombined or oriented along the same longitudinal axis. Also for example,more than two drums could be used and/or the drums could be of varyingsizes. Furthermore, the direction of rotation may be changed betweendrums in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the flow inlet and theflow outlet may be positioned on a top portion of the first drum and thesecond drum. In other embodiments, the flow inlet and the flow outletmay be positioned on a bottom portion of the first drum and the seconddrum. In still other embodiments, the flow inlet and the flow outlet maybe positioned within different planes. In some embodiments, the denestermay be moveable in another manner to permit orientation of a bypass flowpath with the discharge of the water knife in place of the fluid flowpath of the denester. For example, the bypass inlet and bypass outletmay be oriented perpendicular to the flow inlet and flow outlet and thedenester may be rotated 90 degrees to align the bypass flow path.

Additionally, it is appreciated that a reduction in the interiordiameter of a drum increases the centripetal acceleration within thedrum. More robust cuts may be separated using drums of smaller interiordiameter than less robust cuts. Likewise, it is appreciated that anincrease in the volumetric flow rate increases centripetal accelerationwithin the drum. More robust cuts may be separated using highervolumetric flow rates than less robust cuts. Additionally, the size ofthe cut food product pieces relative to the interior diameter of thedrum(s) may affect throughput and determine whether a blockage is likelyto be formed. In addition, it is also foreseeable that the embodimentsdescribed herein may be applicable to the separation of non-foodproducts as well.

Although this disclosure has been described in terms of certainpreferred embodiments, other embodiments that are apparent to those ofordinary skill in the art, including embodiments that do not provide allof the features and advantages set forth herein, are also within thescope of this disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for separating a cut food product into aplurality of food product pieces, the method comprising: directing aflow of fluid along a fluid flow path of a denester having at least onedrum, the flow of fluid being directed tangentially into the at leastone drum, wherein the flow of fluid creates a cyclonic flow path throughthe at least one drum, the flow of fluid carrying a cut food product,the cut food product comprising a plurality of food product piecesnested within each other; rotating the cut food product along a lengthof the at least one drum by movement of the flow of fluid through thefluid flow path, wherein substantially each of the plurality of foodproduct pieces that are nested within each other are individuallyseparated from one another; and removing the plurality of food productpieces from the at least one drum through a flow outlet.
 2. The methodof claim 1, wherein the directing the cut food product along the fluidflow path tangentially into the at least one drum comprises directingthe cut food product along the fluid flow path tangentially into the atleast one drum at a right angle to a longitudinal axis of the at leastone drum.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing the pluralityof food product pieces from the at least one drum through the flowoutlet comprises removing the plurality of food product pieces from theat least one drum through a tangentially oriented flow outlet.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the at least one drum includes a first drumand a second drum, the flow of fluid being directed into the first drumtangentially to an inner diameter of the first drum, and the rotatingthe cut food product along the length of the at least one drumcomprises: rotating the cut food product along a length of the firstdrum; passing the cut food product into the second drum tangentially toan inner diameter of the second drum; and rotating the cut food productalong a length of the second drum.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein thepassing the cut food product into the second drum comprises passing thecut food product along a passageway from the first drum to the seconddrum, wherein the passageway is tapered and increases a velocity of thecut food product as it is passed into the second drum.
 6. The method ofclaim 5, wherein the inner diameter of the first drum is approximatelytwelve inches.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the length of the firstdrum is approximately twenty-four inches.
 8. The method of claim 4,wherein the first drum includes a first drain valve and the second drumincludes a second drain valve.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cutfood product is a potato.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprisingcutting the potato into a plurality of helical wedges before the flow offluid carrying the potato is directed tangentially into the at least onedrum.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the denester includes a bypassflow path, and the method further comprises moving the denester, whereinthe movement of the denester orients the bypass flow path in place ofthe fluid flow path.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the denesterincludes a flow inlet oriented along a first axis and the bypass flowpath includes a bypass inlet oriented along a second axis, the secondaxis being parallel to the first axis, and the moving the denestercomprises pivoting the denester between a bypass position and an engagedposition, wherein the flow inlet is in communication with a discharge ofa knife block or a water knife in the engaged position and the bypassinlet is in communication with the discharge in the bypass position. 13.The method of claim 1, wherein the denester does not include any movingparts within the cyclonic flow path through the at least one drum. 14.The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one drum has a longitudinalaxis that is perpendicular to gravitational forces.
 15. A method forseparating a cut food product into a plurality of food product pieces,the method comprising: directing a flow of fluid along a fluid flow pathof a denester, the denester having: a plurality of drums, including afirst drum and a second drum; a flow inlet positioned on the first drum,the flow inlet in fluid communication with a discharge of a knife blockor a water knife, the flow inlet being tangential to an inner diameterof the first drum; a flow outlet positioned on the second drum; apassageway providing fluid communication from the first drum to thesecond drum, the passageway having a first end connected to the firstdrum and a second end connected to the second drum, the second end ofthe passageway being tangential to an inner diameter of the second drum;and a flow path extending from the flow inlet to the flow outlet throughthe plurality of drums; wherein the flow of fluid creates a cyclonicflow path through the plurality of drums, the flow of fluid carrying acut food product, the cut food product comprising a plurality of foodproduct pieces nested within each other; and rotating the cut foodproduct within the plurality of drums by movement of the flow of fluidthrough the fluid flow path, wherein substantially each of the pluralityof food product pieces that are nested within each other areindividually separated from one another.
 16. The method of claim 15,wherein the denester includes a bypass flow path, and the method furthercomprises moving the denester, wherein the movement of the denesterorients the bypass flow path in place of the fluid flow path.
 17. Themethod of claim 16, wherein the flow inlet of the denester is orientedalong a first axis and the bypass flow path includes a bypass inletoriented along a second axis, the second axis being parallel to thefirst axis, and the moving the denester comprises pivoting the denesterbetween a bypass position and an engaged position, wherein the flowinlet is in communication with the discharge in the engaged position andthe bypass inlet is in communication with the discharge in the bypassposition.
 18. A method for separating a cut food product into aplurality of food product pieces, the method comprising: cutting a foodproduct into a plurality of food product pieces nested within eachother; directing the plurality of food product pieces and a flow offluid carrying the plurality of food product pieces into a denesterhaving at least one drum, the flow of fluid being directed tangentiallyinto the at least one drum, wherein the flow of fluid creates a cyclonicflow path through the at least one drum; and rotating the cut foodproduct within the at least one drum by movement of the fluid flowingthrough the at least one drum, wherein substantially each of theplurality of food product pieces that are nested within each other areindividually separated from one another; and removing the plurality offood product pieces from the at least one drum through a flow outlet.19. The method of claim 18, wherein the cut food product is a potato.20. The method of claim 19, wherein cutting the food product comprisescutting the potato into a plurality of helical wedges.